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Busting Out
Presented by:
Andrew Guild and Simon Bryce
Venue:
Athenaeum Theatre,
Melbourne
Reviewer:
Simon
Parris
Date Reviewed: 11th June, 2009
 Let’s
not be coy about the nature of this show – not a comedy about tight
clothes or a lingerie department or a prison escape, this is a bawdy
revue full of songs, sketches and plenty of topless fun.
Well-endowed
singer and actress Emma Powell has put her natural assets to great
use in her very original creation Busting Out. Workshops and
pervious stagings have seen the clever idea grow into a
fully-fledged night at the theatre. Joined by bosom buddy Bev
Killick, the two have as much fun onstage as the audience.
Stand-up
comedienne Killick puts the crowd in the mood before interval with a
raucous routine about her life as a mum to the terrible T’s – a
toddler and a teenager. Instantly likeable with her bleached blonde
hair and gap-toothed grin, Killick seamlessly jumps from topic to
topic. Shopping in Chapel St, buying make up at Myer and wetting her
pants a little bit all get a mention. It is a hilarious routine and
gives Killick a lift in the second half as the audience has really
warmed to her.
Theatre People
readers with very long memories might recall Guild Award winner
Powell from such CLOC shows as Funny Girl (Fanny Brice) and Les
Misérables (Eponine). Apart from the mammary manipulation, she also
puts her strong belt to use to great effect in several songs during
the show.
 Both
women are very confident, talented performers who are a pleasure to
watch in action. Their ample bosoms bounce, sway, sing, carry
liquor, hold money, wash dishes and create unbelievable shadows. A
giant video screen enhances proceedings with close ups of the boobs
in action.
The trick to
the show is that it looks a bit of mayhem but it is actually very
carefully put together with countless props and costume changes that
allow each skit to blend into the next with barely enough time to
catch your breath from laughter. The audience is won over to the
point that audience volunteers happily come forward when required.
Director Terrence O’Connell must also take credit for this.
With the
ultimate message of Girl Power and loving yourself as you are,
Busting Out is a great way to warm up a cold Melbourne Winter night.
Get some friends together, have a couple of drinks and get ready to
laugh yourselves silly at Busting Out. Bookings are through
Ticketmaster
http://www.ticketmaster.com.au
Simon has
appeared in about 40 productions over the past thirty years. Recent
roles include Uncle Henry/Guard of the Gate in The Wizard of Oz
(Catchment) and Eugene Fodor in Crazy for You (Whitehorse). Other
favourite roles include Mr Fox in Mack and Mabel, Max in The Sound
of Music, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Julio in Paint Your Wagon,
Marcellus in The Music Man and Grantaire in Les Miserables.
Simon has
directed several school productions. Recently he choreographed
Urinetown and Little Shop of Horrors for St Michael’s Grammar
School. He is currently directing Hot Mikado for St Michael’s, to be
staged at the Athenaeum Theatre in May.
Simon has served
on the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Committee for five years, and
is currently Treasurer. He is also a keen audience member, having
seen over 50 shows in five weeks on a recent trip to New York and
London.
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